The Red Queen
by allthestarsinallthegalaxies
Summary: Based on an idea from mattandkaz over on Tumblr. The Doctor discovers a strange new planet and sees a familiar face.
1. Chapter 1

**So this is for the lovely people over at mattandkaz on tumblr! Hope you don't mind what I've done to your amazing ideas! Everyone should really check out this beautiful blog. **

**I don't own anything. If you see something you recognise it isn't mine.**

**In my head, this is after the 'The Angels Take Manhattan' and before 'The Snowmen'. **

**Enjoy and please review x**

The doctor stepped out of the TARDIS onto a cobbled street bustling with people. From the clothing the people rushing past were wearing, it would be easy to mistake the scene for something from a Charles Dickens novel, but there were little abnormalities dotted about: an LCD screen showing a shop's sign; a woman with bright pink hair; a man speaking into what looked like an over-sized walkie- talkie.

"What was that for?" the Doctor yelled at the blue box, attracting a few odd glances from passers by. "I thought I had made it clear! This isn't what I do anymore!" he growled, pulling the TARDIS key from his pocket. As he rattled it in the lock, he found that it simply wouldn't budge. He cried out in frustration, banging his fist against the wooden doors.

"Stupid machine," the Doctor grumbled, walking away. He began to take in his surroundings. Despite himself, he marvelled at the amazing and often outrageous outfits being worn. One woman had her glittering blue hair piled up on top of her head. Another wore a corset with neon lights flashing everywhere. A group of children nearly knocked the Doctor over as they rode past on unicycles with wheels that lit up.

He ambled down the twisting street, stopping every now and then to marvel at shops full of curiosities- binoculars and books, toys and tools. There were stalls selling food that gave off the most amazing mix of scents ranging from spiced meats to sugary sweets. It really was a feast for the senses.

Eventually the Doctor came to large square, bustling with people. On three sides of the square were rows of shops, almost like something from Tudor England. On the other side of the square was a bridge leading to an enormous castle. It was fairly traditional, made from stone with wooden doors. From the turrets, hundreds of flags with different images and colours fluttered in the breeze. At first, they seemed perfectly ordinary, but upon closer inspection, the doctor noticed that the images were moving. Lions seemed to roar and eagles flapped their wings. Against the orange, evening sky, they were a sight to behold.

The Doctor caught himself, realising that he was obstructing a cart inside which there were animals that could only be described as a mix between a pig and a turkey. He moved into the square, apologising gently and excusing himself as he moved through the crowd.

In the centre of the square was an elaborate fountain that also acted as a signpost with directions and instructions flashing in a mess of words and colours. The Doctor pulled himself up onto the fountain to get a better view of the world around him. He climbed higher and higher until he had almost reached the top.

From that vantage point, he saw the entire town spread out before him. The streets were sprawling and narrow and seemed almost endless. When the town finally ended, there were rolling fields of red glass leading to a range of snow topped mountains. The sight reminded the Doctor of his home, which was entirely unwelcome: he had thought of his people many times since Amy and Rory left.

"They're gone," the Doctor whispered to himself, "they're all gone, now get a grip."

He climbed down from the fountain and headed with the flow of the crowd towards the castle. As he crossed the bridge, he leaned over to see the water rushing bellow. It was bright blue and he could see fish big enough to swallow him whole swimming alone. A man rushed past and jostled the Doctor, almost pushing him off. He clung on, warily moving away from the edge.

The Doctor stepped through the enormous wooden doors into a cavernous hall. From the ceiling hung three chandeliers as large as houses casting orangey pink light around the room. The stone walls were covered in portraits of someone the Doctor recognised.

"Amy?" he said to himself, looking from one portrait another. Sure enough, each portrait showed the red haired woman the Doctor had spent his last 300 years travelling with. The portraits moved gently, smiling down at the crowd and waving slightly. Her outfits were astounding- made from the richest fabrics and finest jewels.

A smile slowly spread across the Doctor's face. It got gradually bigger and bigger until it looked almost like it was too big for his face. A tear rolled down his cheek, surprising him as he could no longer contain his laughter.

"Amy. Oh, impossible, mad Amelia Pond!" he sped down the hall, pushing people aside in his excitement.


	2. Chapter 2

**Again, this is based on the fabulous ideas from mattandkaz on tumblr. **

**I don't own anything and if you see something you recognise, it isn't mine. **

**Enjoy and please review x**

"Amy!"

The Doctor ran through the corridors of the castle, skidding as he rounded corridors and tripped over rugs. The interior of the caste was like a palace, with tapestries hanging from the walls and rugs that had neon lights sewn into them.

One of the doors leading from the corridors opened in front of the Doctor, bringing him to a swift halt. Two tiny women walked out of the door, one blonde and one brunette. The clothes they wore were much simpler than the people in the town: a white shirt with a black apron and sensible black shoes.

"Who are you? What are you doing here? The general public aren't supposed to come this far into the grand palace!" the brunette squeaked.

"Err," the Doctor stammered, "I was just looking for Amy," He impatiently looked down the corridor, hoping for a way to escape. There was no time to chat; he had to find his friend.

"Who's Amy? You're not from round here are you?" The blonde's eyes scanned the Doctor from head to foot.

"Well, no, I'm not. Anyway, I'm in a bit of a rush. I need to find Amy. You know, the one on all the posters in the entrance?"

"You mean the queen?" the blonde said, craning her neck to look the Doctor in the eye.

The brunette gasped. "Excuse us one moment please sir", she said, before huddling close to her friend and whispering in her ear.

"What if he's an assassin from Hozakan?"

The two women continued to speak in hushed tones without realising that the Doctor could hear every word they said.

"Does he look like an assassin to you?"

"I guess not, but they never do, do they!"

"He isn't armed. I checked."

"I still don't think we can trust him."

"What do you suggest we do then?"

"We could... take him to the dungeon?"

On hearing the word dungeon, the Doctor backed away slowly from the women, who were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't notice. He broke into a run, charging down the corridor.

Suddenly, the Doctor felt hands on his jacket. They seemed to have come out of nowhere. They lifted him up off the ground and he came to a sharp stop.

"Take him to the dungeon!" the blonde shouted from down the corridor.

The Doctor could now see what was carrying him: a pair of disembodied arms had come from the walls and were tightly gripping his shoulders.

"Let me go!" the Doctor cried out, but the arms held on tight, taking him to the lower levels of the castle.

The dungeon walls were cold and damp with sludge dripping from every surface. The ceiling was very high with a grate at the top of the wall, allowing what was left of the sunlight into the room.

Having already done laps of the cell, running, hopping, jumping and skipping 100 times each, the Doctor was bored. He wasn't used to waiting, especially in a place where the only seat was a hard, damp bench. It had only taken two minutes for him to start going insane from boredom.

Finally, the bolt clanked and the heavy wooden door opened. A man wearing chain mail with very tight jeans and an electric blue shirt beneath told the Doctor to follow him.

"Didn't the shadow proclamation make it illegal to hold a prisoner for more than a day? How long was I in there for?"

"38 minutes and 42 seconds." The guard replied, dryly.

"Oh," the Doctor said, "So where are you taking me?"

"The Queen wishes to see you."

"Right. Why does she wish to see me?"

"She likes to have a look at the people trying to assassinate her. A kind of morbid curiosity, I think."

"What?!," the Doctor exclaimed, shocked, "I'm not an assassin! I know the Queen! We're friends!"

"Well we'll see that when you meet each other, won't we?" the guard replied with a smile.

"Yes we will." The Doctor muttered under his breath, just as they reached the large set of doors leading to the Queen's chambers.


	3. Chapter 3

**Again, this is based on the fabulous ideas from mattandkaz on tumblr. **

**I don't own anything and if you see something you recognise then it isn't mine. **

**I have LOADS of exams in the next few months and I am up to my neck in revision so if I don't update for a while I'm really sorry. I'll do my best to keep this up, though. **

**Enjoy and please review for metaphorical chocolate brownies x**

The doors swung open revealing a large room. There were two floor-to-ceiling windows on the opposite wall providing a view of the palace's extensive gardens. Rich fabrics and tapestries hung from the walls depicting an imaginative array of scenes: bloody battles hanging side by side with summery meadows and beautiful women.

The Doctor's eyes were immediately drawn to the group of people gathered around a figure sitting in front of one of the most impressive dressing tables he had ever seen. They were preening the woman, brushing her hair and removing her make-up. As the Doctor stood in the doorway, waiting, the woman stood and the people surrounding her dispersed, moving to the edges of the room to tidy or dust the surfaces.

It was Amy. The Doctor smiled, unable to take his eyes from the face he thought he would never see again.

"Hello Amelia," he grinned, close to tears, "What have you got for me this time?"

The woman titled her head, confused, before smiling back at the Doctor.

"Who is Amelia?"

His heart sank. The woman's accent was not Scottish, but had a strange twang that the Doctor couldn't put his finger on. All of a sudden he could see it wasn't Amy; all of the differences because strikingly clear: her hair was several shades too dark and her eyes were an emerald green.

"What's wrong?" The woman must have noticed the Doctor's smile fading.

"Ugh... nothing. I just... I mistook you for a friend of mine. Sorry." He said, tilting his chin down and clenching his fists to keep back tears.

"You say you found him where?" the woman said, turning to a girl the Doctor recognised as the blonde from earlier.

"He was wandering around, down one of the restricted access corridors, your highness."

"So naturally you presumed it was an assassin?"

"Well, yes. We_ are_ at war."

"Indeed. You were right to be cautious. Excellent work, Maria," the woman said, placing her hand on the blonde woman's head before pulling her into a short embrace, "However, I do not think this man possesses cruel intent."

"Your highness," the guard stood behind the Doctor spoke up, "the spies of Hozakan have been getting more and more ruthless. Do you think they are above this kind of emotional blackmail?"

"You doubt my instincts?" the Queen turned sharply to face the man.

"Of course not, your highness. I simply urge you to act with caution."

"Very well," the Queen sighed. She turned to glance at the clock on the mantelpiece. "You have fifteen minutes. What is your story?"

"My story?" he said, choking back tears, "I... I'm the Doctor."

The Queen moved to sit down on her four poster bed and gestured for the Doctor to take a seat.

"Doctor who?"

The Doctor grimaced. Another repeat. Another person for him to inevitably loose.

"Just the Doctor," he sighed, regaining his composure, "I'm a traveller, I suppose. My ship brought me here then wouldn't start so I thought I'd have a around. I came here, saw the posters and thought I had found my friend. I was just looking for her when Maria and her friend found me."

The Queen nodded. "You expect me to believe this story?"

"Well... it's true. Whether or not you choose to believe it is irrelevant."

The Queen laughed. "Yes, if it wasn't for the fact that I will be deciding if we let you go free or not."

"Ah," the Doctor said, "Good point."

"So convince me."

"I'm sorry?"

"Convince me," the Queen repeated, raising an eyebrow, "why should I let you go free?"

"Err... to show your subjects what a kind and forgiving ruler you are?"

"They already know how lovely I am. Don't you, my darlings?" The people cleaning the room smiled at the Queen, a few of them giggling quietly.

"Okay," the Doctor said, trying hard to think of something convincing. He smiled. "I'm interesting; you have to give me that. Aren't you just a little bit curious about me?"

The Queen pursed her lips. She turned her head away.

"Guard!" the guard took the Doctor by the arm. "Take him back to the dungeon."

"What!" the Doctor cried out. "No! You can't do this!"

"Yes I can!" the Queen rounded on him, suddenly furious. "You Hozakan scum," she spat, her face dangerously close to the Doctor's, "have been terrorising my people for long enough!"

"Please, you've got this wrong!" he pleaded, "Have mercy!"

"Mercy? Your people have no concept of mercy! You have watched as our villages burn and I will let this go on no longer! I am ending this now!" Her eyes blazed with anger and her face was full of spite and hate. The Doctor's eyes widened as he shook his head.

"Take him to the dungeon." The Queen said turning from him.

The guard dragged the Doctor's unwilling body back through the door, making his feet drag on the soft, pale carpet. Desperate pleas and begging could still be hard in the room after the door slammed shut.


End file.
